


00:00:00

by ohkayyy



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: M/M, also dont mind the summary like ik its cheesy af. i actually dont have hands so, also peep the someday/today reference, kinda sad whoops, payphones are 10/10 aesthetic, sorry craig, sorry smitty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 16:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15271347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohkayyy/pseuds/ohkayyy
Summary: Craig has less than ten minutes to find his soulmate, and ultimately, he's done. He's accepted the fact that he'll never meet the person who's made for him; until he does, and his life is changed forever.





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**Author's Note:**

> yo so this fic is based off of the soulmate prompt ‘everyone has a timer on their wrist that’s counting down to their soulmate’s death’ or something like that. anyw smiini’s a 10/10 ship so i thought i’d give it a go. i rly hope you enjoy the fic! <3

Craig had less than ten minutes to find his soulmate.

And to be frank, he didn’t really care anymore.

He’d just escaped from the hell that was his job, and he was ready to go back to his apartment and celebrate with his roommate Anthony, who also didn’t have a soulmate. Maybe, they’d pop a bottle, or just order an excess of pizza; he had his day relatively planned out, and he was looking forward for this whole thing to be over with. The timer on his wrist had been counting down for too long now, and Craig hadn’t found his soulmate in time. Oh, well.

It had been a joke at first. It was nearing the end of high school, and some of his friends had been lucky enough to already find their one, before their lives had even fully started. Craig had never found anyone he had a particularly special interest in or bond with; his friends liked to tease him about it, but he knew he still had time. His wrist said so.

Over the years, it became less of a joke, and more of a reality. The clock was ticking down, and Craig still hadn’t found his one. He became less and less hopeful the closer he came to the deadline - the realization that he might not ever find his soulmate before they died crossed his mind more and more, until Craig had had enough. He’d marked the time he’d stopped caring as 32:19:24:16.

Now, his timer was at 00:07:18 - 7 minutes, and 18 seconds until his soulmate was gone. Craig had accepted it; his soulmate would die without him ever meeting them. And even though he was far past the point of caring, deep down, it still hurt.

Craig shook his head as he walked out of his office building and on to the street. He shouldn’t be thinking about it; there was nothing he could do. He sighed, merging into the loose crowd on the footpath. He couldn’t stop fate.

Halfway down the street, Craig noticed a boy on the payphone, who looked around Craig’s age. His bright white hair stood out, the loose strands bouncing as he jumped up and down in what seemed like excitement. The boy nodded and hung up the phone; as he walked away, a spring in his step, Craig noticed something slip out of the boy’s pocket and fall to the ground. The boy had already disappeared into the crowd before Craig could call for him.

He made his way to the payphone, reaching for the object. It was the boy’s wallet (he assumed); a metal keychain was attached to it, with two small keys, and a little block S. Craig bit his lip, glancing at his wrist. 00:05:24. He was going to be late to his own “You’ll forever be single” party. He sighed heavily.

Craig took off through the crowd, trying to keep sight of the boy’s bleached white hair, which he could only just see, a few stores ahead. He pushed past people, apologizing as he narrowly avoided elbowing a lady in the face, and managed to not trip and fall into someone’s shoulder. The crowd started to break off, heading into stores, giving Craig a chance to pass and move faster.

He was nearing the white-haired boy; Craig surged forward until he broke out of the small crowd remaining, reaching the boy before he turned the corner. Craig took a breath, before stepping forward.

He tapped the boy’s shoulder. “Hey, you, uh… you dropped this.” As Craig held out the other’s wallet, the boy turned, and their eyes met.

“Holy shit,” Craig breathed. The other looked just as shocked.

The first thing Craig saw was two big, different-coloured eyes; one bright and blue, and the other a strange shade of brown that almost seemed red - or maybe it was just the light. The sight took Craig’s breath away.

The boy’s pale skin was dotted with freckles; his rosy cheeks filled with light brown stars. Craig’s eyes traced across the galaxy on the boy’s face, taking in as many details as possible. Wow.

Both boys were still for the moment, before Craig remembered that he was in a hurry. He stumbled back. “Uh, I… I have to go-“

He’d turned his back for barely a second, before he heard a gunshot. Craig whipped around in shock.

The white-haired boy stood in the same place, his mismatched eyes wide as he stared at Craig. His hands traveled to his bleeding chest, before he collapsed.

Craig rushed forward, catching the boy before he fell to the ground; he was still for a moment, before panic set in. He didn’t notice the figure that ran off in the background.

“Help!” Craig screamed. He ripped off his shirt and tore a large piece of fabric from the bottom, wrapping it around the boy’s chest with clumsy hands.

“Someone help me! Please!” His wails started to catch attention down the street. A man pointed at the two of them, and people started to rush down the road, cries of shock carrying down to them. Craig’s hands were bloody from trying to stem the flow starting to run down the boy’s chest.

“What’s your name? Please… please tell me your name,” Craig begged.

The boy looked pained, his breathing heavy as he gasped for air. Blood was starting to spill out of his mouth.

“Smit-” the boy choked. “My name’s- is Smitty.”

Tears fell from Craig’s eyes on to Smitty’s chest. He had the prettiest voice Craig had ever heard. Craig cried even harder, his own breathing becoming ragged as he held Smitty against him.

Smitty’s bloody hands suddenly grabbed Craig’s, his own eyes teary as his lips turned red.

“I’m sorry,” Smitty whispered. “I’m so… so sorry.”

And then he was gone.

Craig sat back, his hands still clutching Smitty’s tightly. Slowly, he let go, his mind and his body going numb. People swarmed around him, but he didn’t move, even when Smitty’s body was taken away. A man tried to talk to him, but Craig didn’t hear anything he said. He didn’t feel anything at all.

It was only then that Craig remembered his timer. With a sinking heart, he held his wrist in front of him.

00:00:00.

 

Craig couldn’t stop thinking about him.

How Smitty had never got to say that he was part of a gang, that it wasn’t safe for him, and it definitely wasn’t safe for his soulmate. That the person who shot him was a part of an enemy gang who was trying to take them down one by one. That the counter on his wrist was still counting down decades, years and years where Craig would be alone, his soulmate gone and never coming back. Craig swallowed, trying hard not to break down. His thumb traced the other’s fingers, softly running over Smitty’s hand with a sad, gentle grace. Craig looked away as his fingers reached and paused on Smitty’s wrist. It took all he had not to start scratching at the other’s skin, trying to tear away the numbers that had ruined his life. Craig’s hands clenched into fists, and he brought his hands out of the coffin quickly, closing his eyes and breathing to try and calm himself down. Nothing had ever made him this angry; he didn’t like how he felt. It scared him.

No one noticed as Craig slipped out of the church, just as they hadn’t noticed him slip in. His footsteps were quiet but deliberate, as he headed home to drown his thoughts. Every emotion that came to surface as he walked, Craig pushed away with a stubborn dismissal. He didn’t care anymore. His soulmate was dead. What was he supposed to do?

He looked like a ghost, moving on autopilot as he stepped in and out of the elevator, unlocking and locking the door to his apartment. His feelings didn’t return; now, Craig just felt empty.

 

The bar was at just the right amount of noise when Craig walked in. Groups of men sat around tables, their slurred words making the room hum comfortably as Craig made his way to the bar counter. A small signal to the bartender, and he instantly had a drink in front of him. He exhaled, relaxing against the counter.

A number of drinks later, Craig’s mind was very subtly buzzing, his vision ever so slightly blurry around the edges. He closed his eyes.

“You’re a triple zero?” Craig jumped, as someone spoke to him. He looked up to the sight of piercing blue eyes, gazing at Craig’s exposed wrist. Craig pulled his arm towards him, shrinking into himself slightly. The guy beside him chuckled.

“Don’t worry. I am, too.” The guy pulled up his sleeve, showing the timer that was no longer counting on his wrist. He smiled at Craig.

“I’m Tyler.”

“…Craig.”

“If you don’t mind me asking… who did you lose?”

Craig glared at him. “Don’t you think that’s a bit of a direct question for someone that’s obviously grieving about it?”

Tyler shrugged. When Craig saw that the other wasn’t going to move on, he settled against the bar counter with a sigh.

“His name was Smitty, and I knew him for a total of about 4 and a half minutes.” Craig let out a pained laugh. “Then he was shot. And he died, right in my arms.”

Tyler looked shocked, but Craig didn’t notice. He kept going, tears beginning to blur in his eyes.

“He had… the most amazing eyes. Mismatched; one was blue, and the other was a weird shade of brown, like… dude, it was almost red. And his voice… damn. He sounded like an angel.” Craig blinked, as everything came rushing back to him. “But I didn’t even know him.” The tears spilt from his eyes - Tyler patted him on the back awkwardly, his hands rubbing Craig’s back soothing him just enough for him to speak. “What about you?” he choked.

Tyler looked surprised, before he sat back, his expression turning dreamy.

“His name was Evan. He was the sweetest, and simultaneously, the craziest, fucker I have ever met. But I loved him. I loved him so much. And he loved me.” Craig watched Tyler’s expression turn slightly sad, as he thought about his soulmate. He spoke, hoping to cheer the other up.

“Tell me what he looks like.”

Tyler glanced at him. At Craig’s reassuring smile, he smiled back gratefully.

“Jet black hair… tanned skin… and the most gorgeous eyes you’ve ever seen. They were always playful. It didn’t matter what we were doing; there was always a shine to his eyes. It’s one of the things I adored the most about him.”

Tyler turned to him, taking Craig’s hands in his. His face was earnest. “I’m sorry you didn’t have time to get to know your soulmate. You don’t deserve it. I’ve known you for less than 10 minutes, and I know you don’t deserve it.

“But I want you to know that one day, you will get over it. It takes a long time, but you’ll be able to let go some day. I promise. 

"I wouldn’t be the same person I am today if it weren’t for Evan. Before I met him, I was angry, and tired, and sad. And he brightened up my life when I needed it most. I fell back into it when he died; I drank a lot, took my anger out on other people… I was just mad all the time.

“But then, one night, I thought about how Evan wouldn’t want me to be grieving over him. He’d want me to live my life, and all that cliche shit. I bet you, if he was able to stand here right now, he would tell me to get my shit together and do something useful with my life. Then, he’d call me a bitch; not for anything specific, just in general. Then, I’d call him a pussy, and we would laugh, and life would go on.”

Tyler grinned at the chuckle Craig let out beside him. “He was just that kind of person. And hey, you never know. Smitty might have also been like that. A crazy fucker just like Evan was. Maybe they’re getting along in heaven right now. They’re probably plotting something involving C4.”

Craig’s smile was small, but it was a smile. Tyler patted him on the back. “It’s time for me to go, but… I don’t know. You wanna keep in touch? You know, despite what we talked about… you seem like a nice person… I don’t know. It’s okay if you don’t, though. I totally understand.”

Craig sniffed, his eyes still puffy from crying, but they smiled along with his mouth all the same. “I’d like that.”

Tyler’s smile brightened as he reached for a pen, scribbling his number on a spare piece of paper lying next to them. He slid it to Craig, patting him on the arm. “Get home safely, okay? I’ll talk to you whenever.” He grinned one last time before leaving, and Craig watched him go, his body feeling a lot lighter than a half hour ago. He smiled as he tucked the paper into his pocket, before heading out of the bar himself. It was time for him to get his shit together.

 

The sky was darkening in Hawaii, pink melting into orange, orange melting into gold. Sunlight reflected off the windows of the houses lining the beach.

Craig watched the remaining clouds disappear behind the sun, admiring the sight from the balcony he was standing on. In front of him, the beach was laid out like a golden carpet; families and couples packing up their things and skipping back up the sand dunes. Behind him, his friends sat around a fire pit, drinks held in their hands as they chatted, at ease and warm inside. Craig smiled as the sun slipped from the sky.

Someone joined him in leaning on the balcony rail. Craig didn’t have to look to know it was Tyler.

“We’re heading inside to get some dessert and play some games. Don’t be out here too long, okay?” Tyler grinned at him, patting Craig’s shoulder firmly, before heading back to the others.

It had been a year since Craig’s timer had stopped; since Smitty had passed away in his arms. Since he had met Tyler; his now best friend, who had helped him through the loss, who had helped him build a life that Craig wouldn’t have without him.

He was in Hawaii for the end-of-year holidays, with a circle of new but close friends. Marcel, Scotty, Brock, Brian, Daithi - they were all boys he’d met through Tyler, but also on campus; from deciding to pursue his interest in music. So many opportunities had come to Craig over the past 12 months, and he couldn’t be more grateful. None of it would have happened if he hadn’t decided to call Tyler’s number the day after they’d met - they’d gone for a coffee date that day, and now, he was traveling the islands of Oceania with their group of friends. He truly owed everything to him.

Craig wasn’t gonna lie; he thought about Smitty every day. Hell, he couldn’t even look at the night sky without thinking of the boy’s face. But with every twinge of sadness he felt, the more Craig got over it; it was a slow process, but he was getting there. Everything would be okay.

Craig sighed, his mind at ease. He was happy for now. And he really hoped Smitty was as well.

With one last look to the brightening stars, Craig turned, and headed inside. His life was only just beginning.


End file.
